The Ukrainian President and authorities claim that their security service and Ministry of Defense have facts at their disposal that the Malaysian Boing-777 airplane was shot by the separatists in the East of Ukraine. The officials of Self-Proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic contradict, stating that the crash of the Malaysian airplane traveling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur is caused by the actions of the Ukrainian armed forces.

Ivan Kukhta, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Armenia, spoke on the crash of Boeing-777 airplane, subsequent events in Ukraine, presenting the official standpoint of Kiev, as well as the current state of the Armenian-Ukrainian relations and possible developments.

The Malaysian Boing-777 was shot by ‘the separatists of Donetsk’

‘Ukraine has evidences that the airplane was hit by the separatists of Donetsk with the weapon provided by Russia,’ stated Ambassador Ivan Kukhta, adding that according to the information they have the airplane was struck in the air territory of Donetsk region of Ukraine which is controlled by ‘separatists or terrorists as they are called nowadays.’ Ukraine intends to file these evidences to the international committee on the plane crash.

The Ukrainian President will not negotiate with the leaders of Self-Proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic

Ambassador Kukhta found it impossible that President Peter Poroshenko will negotiate with the separatists of Donetsk at a round table. With respect to the peaceful regulation, the Ukrainian diplomat noted that their government is willing to start the regulation process with the separatists of Lugansk and Donetsk provided that the contact group is involved. In addition, Ukraine is ready to ensure a safety corridor for those armed individuals who will hand in weapons and return to their homeland. Ivan Kukhta emphasized that negotiations with separatists will signify recognition of their self-proclamation.

The Ukrainian authorities will not stop stating that ‘the Crimea is a temporarily occupied territory.’

With respect to the Crimea issue, Ivan Kukhta highlighted that the Ukrainian government does not neglect the given issue. On the contrary, they are determined to continually discuss the issue of the Crimea as all international organizations acknowledge the Crimea as part of Ukraine which is ‘a temporarily occupied territory.’

Armenian-Ukrainian relations

Discussing the Armenian-Ukrainian relations, Ambassador Kukhta noted that the two nations have long had strong economic and cultural ties which Ukraine intends to strengthen.

The Ambassador spoke on the Armenian-Ukrainian meeting to be held by the end of the year. The meeting will feature the possibilities of the economic cooperation of the two countries, issues pertaining to the trade turnover and tax tariffs taking into account the fact that Armenia is possible to join the Eurasian Union, with Ukraine having signed the European Union Association Agreement.

‘Last year the trade turnover amounted to 223 million dollars. Both Ukraine and Armenia are mutually interested in the import and export. Since the Eurasian Union defines other tariffs, on the other hand, certainly, Ukraine has obligations to the EU, I believe, negotiations are necessary,’ stated Ivan Kukhta.

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